Just like summer, fine art is headed our way
DANVIILLE - Once again Danville will welcome 200 exceptional artists from around the country to exhibit at the Danville Fine Arts Faire, June 20 & 21, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. on Hartz Avenue in Downtown Danville. Hosted by the Danville Area Chamber of Commerce and the Town of Danville this will mark the 18th anniversary of the Faire.
"This is the perfect time to reconnect with family and friends in the community," says Melony Newman, President and CEO of the Danville Area Chamber of Commerce. "There will be free activities to enjoy and it is also a great opportunity to show our support to local merchants as well as artists from near and far," adds the CEO.
Visit with artists who will be happy to tell you what inspires them to create. From beautiful jewelry and fine pottery to painting and unique fiber arts there will be something to spark your interest and imagination. Marvel at the shimmering glass work or the artful photography. Find the creation which speaks to you.
Come out and watch as Italian Street Painters, sponsored by Diablo Magazine, transform 12ft. X 12ft. squares into works of art right before your eyes. Located on School Street between Hartz Avenue and Railroad they will be working along side artists from the Alamo Danville Artist Society who have decided to create images on the pavement using tiles in various shades of gray instead of chalk. Members of the crowd will be encouraged to participate in the process as a way of promoting the artist in everyone.
Enjoy the concerts by Street Musicians Kaweh, Lisa Lynne, George Tortorelli and Jeffrey Michael in the balmy summer air. Dancing is welcome.
Be sure to set aside time to relax in the Beverage Garden sponsored by the Danville Area Chamber of Commerce and savor a fine glass of wine or a cold microbrew.
Admission is free and to make things even friendlier, this weekend the two hour parking meter will not be enforced. A shuttle service will also be provided free of charge by Diablo Lodge on Saturday and Byron Park on Sunday. Leave your car at the Park & Ride at Hwy. 680 and Sycamore Valley Road exit and take a leisurely ride to the festival.
Celebrate the blue skies of summer, colorful art, friends and family at the Danville Fine Arts Faire.
For more information please call 925.837.4400 or visit the festival web site at www.mlaproductions.com.
# # #
top of page
DANVILLE - Artist John Biagiotti of Ben Lomond takes recycling to new heights. Known for his finely crafted gold and gemstone jewelry he not only recycles the nuggets once living in the earth and streams, he has also become known for turning meteorites into one-of-a-kind rings and pendants.
"I have a couple of astronomy theme pieces that I advertise in publications such as Astronomy and Sky and Telescope," said the out of this world craftsman. The response has been over the moon. After experimenting with various materials Biagiotti discovered gold was what he loved most in the late 1970's. He has been working exclusively with the precious metal ever since. He does all of his own lapidary work which adds to the uniqueness of his pieces. Often he will set gems directly into a non-faceted gemstone such as meteorite achieving a heavenly result.
Someday Biagiotti hopes to have one of his pieces worn in space. But for now one doesn't have to be on a moon mission to see his work. He will be traveling the much shorter distance to the Danville Fine Arts Faire. Come check out this star in the world of handcrafted jewelry.
Admission is free as is shuttle service, available both Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. from the Park & Ride at Hwy. 680 and Sycamore Valley Road, courtesy of Diablo Lodge and Byron Park. For more information please contact 925.837.4400, or visit the festival web site at www.mlaproductions.com.
# # #
top of page
DANVILLE - Giant roosters painted red and orange and blue. Enormous pink pigs. A yellow giraffe with deep crimson spots standing out in a field. One might wonder what they all have in common. And that would bring us to metal artist Fredrick Prescott of Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Prescott, who had a gallery in Danville on Hartz Avenue 30 years ago, creates larger than life kinetic animals out of cold, gray, steel. Despite their size and weight, some clock in at 3,000 pounds, these sculptures move in the wind. Heads nod and bob and tickle the fancy of everyone who happens by.
"My art makes people smile," claims the imaginative sculptor.
Not all of his work is so grand in scale that it requires a field or meadow. Smaller pieces are happy indoors. Fredrick Prescott is looking forward to spending some time in his old stomping grounds. He will be packing up the zoo and heading to Danville. Stop by and take a peek at his animals. Pet them if you get the urge. They never bite.
Admission is free as is shuttle service, available both Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. from the Park & Ride at Hwy. 680 and Sycamore Valley Road, courtesy of Diablo Lodge and Byron Park. For more information please contact 925.837.4400, or visit the festival web site at www.mlaproductions.com.
# # #
top of page
DANVILLE - Dina Farris Appel knew she wanted to be an artist as far back as she can remember. When she was a young child in kindergarten the smell of tempera paint was as sweet to her as fresh baked cookies from the oven. By the time she reached the tenth grade she had sold her first commercial illustration. Known for her trompe l'oeil paintings, (translated as "trick the eye"), as well as murals and watercolors this graduate of the Chicago Art Institute spends countless hours mapping out and executing her work with great precision, turning a blank space into a visual wonder. Are those vines actually climbing? Did you see the flap of the sparrow's wing?
Appel will be traveling once again from her home in Tehachapi, Calif. to share her magic at the Danville Fine Arts Faire. She is looking forward to catching up with friends and family in the area as well as visiting with enthusiastic art lovers in the community. Stop by and see what tricks this magician with a brush has been up to. See if she might share a secret or two.
Admission is free as is shuttle service, available both Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. from the Park & Ride at Hwy. 680 and Sycamore Valley Road, courtesy of Diablo Lodge and Byron Park. For more information please contact 925.837.4400, or visit the festival web site at www.mlaproductions.com.
# # #
top of page
DANVILLE - Time passes. The hands of the clock go 'round and 'round. And since 1974 self taught ceramists Beverly and Gene Freeburg have been at the potter's wheel spinning and spinning, turning wet lumps of clay into pottery cherished by collectors all over the west. What at first was a hobby has become a full time career. Using brightly colored glazes and whimsical designs they make vases and mugs, bowls and casseroles pieces which are all dishwasher and microwave safe. This season the Freeburgs are using a color palette focusing on either a rich butterscotch or a spring-like celadon over-dipped with aqua, tangerine and coral.
"Our work is done totally by us. Throwing the vessel, decorating, glazing, firing and selling," Beverly explained. And, as they have done for years in the past, the Freeburgs will be leaving their home in Redmond, Washington and taking their original pieces to the Danville Fine Arts Faire. They love the event as it allows them to meet new collectors as well as catch up with family and old friends who live in the area. Stop by and visit them. See just what they have accomplished while another year has spun by.
Admission is free as is shuttle service, available both Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. from the Park & Ride at Hwy. 680 and Sycamore Valley Road, courtesy of Diablo Lodge and Byron Park. For more information please contact 925.837.4400, or visit the festival web site at www.mlaproductions.com.
# # #
top of page
DANVILLE - Redwood City artist Marion Hunziker-Larsen has been turning fiber into one-of-a- kind pieces of jewelry since 1974. Using the same techniques applied in macramé she began to turn thread and beads into wearable 'objects d'art'. This Swiss born artist has been showing her neckpieces, bracelets, brooches and earrings at the Danville Fine Arts Faire since 2005.
"I try to have a presence in most counties around the Bay, giving a chance for my customers to come see my work in person. Buying from a local artisan and artist has many benefits for our communities and should be considered similarly as buying produce at local farmer's markets," explains the talented craftswoman.
Marion Hunziker-Larsen will be heading to the Danville Fine Arts Faire to spend time with the locals who live just across the bay. Stop by and introduce yourself to your very talented neighbor from the other shore. See how she takes a simple thing like thread and weaves it into delicate pieces of art.
Admission is free as is shuttle service, available both Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. from the Park & Ride at Hwy. 680 and Sycamore Valley Road, courtesy of Diablo Lodge and Byron Park. For more information please contact 925.837.4400, or visit the festival web site at www.mlaproductions.com.
# # #
top of page
DANVILLE - How can you tell if an artist is passionate about their work? Well, if they spend hours down on their hands and knees in whatever weather Mother Nature throws their way, transferring the image they imagined from their sketch pad to the asphalt which in the end will be washed away, you have to believe they love what they do. And what they do is known as Italian Street Painting – a crowd pleaser enjoyed by all.
This year San Diego artist Cecelia Linayao will be making her first trip to Danville. She was hooked the first time she witnessed the magic. "It was amazing - watching beautiful art work come alive right in front of me," says Linayao. Joining her at this year's Faire will be Alice and Alicia Crittenden, a mother-daughter team from Santa Barbara, husband and wife team, Wayne and Cheryl Renshaw from Santa Clara, Hien Nguyen from Oakland and Becca and her mother Shirley Rhoades from Scotts Valley.
They will all turn 12 ft. x 12 ft. squares into temporary works of art on School Street at Hartz Avenue. Linayao knows exactly what she is going to paint. Entitled "Kaila's Ladybug" it is a cheerful rendering of the artist's niece in a field of California poppies. "I dream of painting my way around the world," says Linayao. The Danville Fine Arts Faire is her next port of call.
Admission is free as is shuttle service, available both Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. from the Park & Ride at Hwy. 680 and Sycamore Valley Road, courtesy of Diablo Lodge and Byron Park. For more information please contact 925.837.4400, or visit the festival web site at www.mlaproductions.com.
# # #
top of page
Three musical styles in perfect harmony
DANVILLE - The Danville Fine Arts Faire isn't just about art. It is also about music. Fine music, perfectly suited for the weekend event. This year the Street Corner Concerts will feature the ethereal, New Age sounds of Celtic harpist Lisa Lynne accompanied by master bamboo flautist George Tortorelli. Blissful sounds will be floating above Hartz Avenue creating calm and harmony on a summer afternoon.
To balance out the peaceful nature of their luscious music there will also be the hot Latin sounds of the always popular Kaweh as he plays his Spanish Flamenco guitar inspiring you to unleash your inner dancer.
Third on the weekend bill is Jeffrey Michael of Fireheart Music. Known for his brilliant composing Michael took up the piano at the age of 6 and has been wowing everyone ever since. Come enjoy downtown Danville and let the sounds of music carry you away.
Admission is free as is shuttle service, available both Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. from the Park & Ride at Hwy. 680 and Sycamore Valley Road, courtesy of Diablo Lodge and Byron Park. For more information please contact 925.837.4400, or visit the festival web site at www.mlaproductions.com.
# # #
top of page |
